Hosiery drying form



l 3Q, E?. A 5 MANN 2,433,470

K HOSIERY DRYING FORM r Filed July 1o, 1944 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 30, 1947 HOSIERY DRYING FGRM Arthur S. Mann, Kankakee, Ill., assignor to Paramount Textile Machinery Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 10, 1944, Serial No. 544,181

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in forms for shaping, setting and drying hosiery and other like articles, and its purpose is to provide means for effecting a more rapid and perfect drying operation than has heretofore been possible with the use of drying forms which are adjustable for use with hosiery and other articles having a wide range of sizes.

It has heretofore `been common practice in the manufacture of knitted hosiery and the like to place the completed hose in a wet condition on drying forms which have been internally heated and which have performed the functions of shaping and drying the finished articles.

These drying forms employed in the drying of hosiery have been provided with internal heating chambers and have usually been arranged in rows on a supporting table or the like and have been connected to common steam supplies so that they have been heated internally during the drying operation. In many instances, these drying forms employed in the drying of hosiery have been provided with detachable toe portions and a given form has thereby been made capable of use for drying hose of a wide range of sizes merely by interchanging the toe portions. The operation of such drying forms equipped with inter-- changeable toe portions has not been entirely satisfactory, however, in commercial use because the internal heating chambers have not extended into the toe portions of the forms and the toe portions of the hose, which are usually of greater weight and thickness than most other portions of the garment, have not been dried as quickly and as satisfactorily as the remaining portions because of the lower temperatures existing in those regions.

It is the principal object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned diiculties by providing drying forms, for drying hosiery and other articles, which are provided with detachable portions making them adjustable for use with articles of diierent sizes, in 'which the detachable toe portions have means for permitting the circulation of steam or other heating fluid therethrough, so that all portions of the drying form are heated substantially to the same temperatures at the same time and the drying operations proceed uniformly in all parts of the garment. Another object of the invention is to provide a drying form having a detachable portion, which may be interchanged with other similar portions of different sizes, in combination with heating means extending through the body portion of the form and into the detachable portion so that the detachable portion is internally heated when it is placed in position on the body portion. Still another object of the invention is to provide a drying form comprising a body portion and a detachable portion having a cavity, in combination with an internal heating connection which extends through the body portion and into the detachable portion and which is adapted to effect the heating of the detachable portion when it is interchanged with another such portion of different size. A further object of the invention is to provide a drying form comprising a body portion, which may constitute the shank and the major portion of the foot of a hosiery drying form, for example, in conjunction with a detachable portion `which may be the toe portion of a hosiery drying form, wherein the two portions of the form are internally heated by steam or other heating fluid supplied through a pipe which extends loosely through a pipe of larger diameter embedded in the body portion and having communication with a cap member extending into a cavity of the detachable portion, the pipe conveying the heating medium discharging into theA cap portion and the exhaust of the heating medium flowing out through the larger pipe, thus permitting a continuous circulation of the heating medium to be maintained through the body portion and the detachable portion. Another object of the invention is to provide a drying form for hosiery or the like comprising a body portion and a detachable portion in combination with an exhaust pipe extending through the body portion and a supply pipe for steam or the like extending loosely through the exhaust pipe and continuing beyond the body portion into a cap member which occupies a cavity in the detachable portion and which hasV a detachable connection with the exhaust pipe so that it may be interchanged With other cap members of diierent sizes when the detachable portion of the form is interchanged with other detachable portions of different sizes. Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

The nature o f the invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment is illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a hosiery drying form embodying the present invention attached to conduits for supplying and exhausting the steam or other heating medium;

Fig. 2 shows a partial vertical axial section 3 and partial side elevation of the detachable toe portion of the hosiery drying form illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 shows a partial front elevation and partial axial section through the upper part of the body portion of the form illustrated in Fig. 1, the position of the detachable toe portion being illustrated by dotted lines;and Y Fig. 4 shows a top plan view or end View of the body portion of the drying form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

As illustrated in the drawings, the invention comprises a drying form I comprising a detachable toe portion Illa, a foot portion I`b, a shank portion 40 and a stem portion Illd.' The parts Ib, IGC and Illd are formed integrally with each other and the stem portion Illd isprovided with y flanges II!e which rest upon and conform to the curvature of an exhaust conduit Il throughv which steam orother heating uid is exhausted from'th'e form Ilran'd other v"similar forms which are mounted upon the' conduit I I lalong* its length. 'I'heseflanges are secured'bystuds'tothe conduit and'within the conduit andspaced therefrom is a supply conduit I2of'smal1erdiameter for conveying steam `or other fluid to allof ythe drying forms which are'mounted on` the conduit II. All of the parts Ille, IEIU,"II) =,II1d and lile of the drying form are formed preferably of cast metal such as aluminum, Monel metal, stainless steel, or other metallic material which is comparatively light in weight and not apt to rust 'or corrodethrough contact with the wet articles which are placed on thelform for drying purposes. The body portion and the toe portion ofthe form are provided with smooth external surfaces andthe outer surfaces of the toe portion IIla areadaptedtolie flush with the outer surfaces of the'foot portion 10b when the toe portion is invplace'tliereo'n, asshown in Fig. 1. lIhe dimensions of theiorm measured transversely to Ya. plane containing, the longitudinal axis of the form andthe axes off the conduits II and I2 are comparatively limited so that the form is somewhat flat or narrow in this directionl as shown in Fig. 4. The meeting edgesl ofthe opposite surfaces of the at f orm may be coinparatively sharp, as shown at I U1, in order to provide longitudinal creases in the front and rear edges of the nished and dried hose.`

During the castingof the bodyportion of the form, which includes the parts IIlb, |09', .I'Bd and Il there is embedded thereina pipe I3 which is centrally located in the cross section ofthe form and which is adapted to serve as anexhaust pipe for thesteam or other heating fluid, being connected at-its lower end totheexhaust conduit I I. The steam'4 or other heating fluid is supplied through a supply pipe I4lwhich extends through the pipe I3 andw-hich isl of substantiallysmaller diameter, thus leaving a substantial exhaust channell between its outer surface and-.the inner surface of the pipe I3. The-pipe I3 terminates somewhat short of the transverse end face IIlg of the foot portion Ibof the form and-is'welded at its end to the inner orlowerend portion of a hoi-low internally threaded metal'fltting I5 which isalso embedded in the foot portionof the form at the time of'casting-it.

The internally threaded iitting I5'is 'detachably engaged by a hollow cap member ifadapted to form a continuation of the pipe I3, whichis cylindrical inform'V and whichis'close'd at its outer orup'perend by a plug IBrwelded orV otherwise secured therein'and provided in its outer surface with a hexagonal or other non-circular 4 recess IISb adapted to be engaged b-y a wrench or the like so that the cap member may be unscrewed from the fitting I5 and replaced by another cap member of different length when it is desired to change the size of the toe portion Illa. The steam supply pipe I4, which is formed as a flexible tube at its upper end, extends through the fitting I5 and terminates near the upper and outer end of the cap member I6, being cut off at an angle to its longitudinal axis, as shown at I'4a, to reduce the possibility of the pipe becoming clogged when it is in proximity to the plug Ita while a relatively short cap member is being employed. The supply pipe I4 is connected at .its 4lower end to the supply conduit I2 through a fitting Il, the base portion of the form being providedwithan enlarged channel Ih which accommodates the lower part of the pipe I4 and also provides a communication between the lower end of the pipe I3 and the openings Ila and IIb inthe upper wall of the exhaust conduit I I. The pipe I 4extends through'the opening IIa andthe opening 'IIb provides a passage through which the exhaust steam and condensate iiows'into the exhaust conduit I I.

The detachable toe portion of the form is shaped transversely to conform to the'shape of the foot portion IIlb, shown'in Fig. '4, 'andit is tapered from its longitudinal edges along the lines Ii'to the tip orpoint 101. A metal'blo'ck I8 of steel or the likeis'embedded in the basepart of the'toe portion IU at the time of casting and after the casting has been completed the block I8 and the toe portion are'drilledto form a central cylindrical cavity 'l`9 and'twolparallel holes 2D, the cylindrical'cavity AISIexteIidingV 'through the central stem portion vI8'of`tl'ie'block 4and terminating in the aluminum or other metal of which the toe portion is primarilyformed. The holes 20 are of cylindrical form and 'extend through the end portions oflthe'block I 8' and then into the aluminum Aor other 'material of which the toe portion is primarilyorlned, terminating somewhat belowthe'upper end 'of'the cavity I9.

When the detachabletoe portion [Delis placed upon the footportio'n I0", as shown by' the dotted line 2`I in Fig. 3 and by full lines inFg. 1', the cylindrical'cavity `I9 is closely'tte'd by the't'ubular cap member `I-6 and the cylindrical holes'2`9` are 'closely `fitted by'a pair of dowe1.pins` 22 which are secured vin the ndfof thefootp ortionflllb o f thefo'rm.- These dowel.pins22 and the cap I6 have'free slidingts in the'holes 20'andthe cavity` I 9, respectively, -so thatwlien the toe. portionvis in place Von the foot portionthe outer surfaces of the toe portion lie 'flush with the outer surfaces of Athe foot portion, as heretofore mentioned.

Although the dowel pins ZZmight be cast in the foot portion -I-IJb at the timeof casting-the body portionoflthelform, itJ is usually preferable to mount-the dowel pins afterward'in rmetalinserts 23, of steel-or thelile, which lare embedded in the'end of theYend-Yportion Ib at the time of casting in transverse axialgalignnient 4withv4 the fitting I5 and with their-end faces inpro'ximity to or ush with the end-face II!g of the foot portion. After the casting hasbeen completed, the foot pertionisplaced in a jigand apertures-23a are formed to receive the'vlower ends of'.V the dowel pins 22. lThese apertures are internally threaded to receive the externally ytl'fireaded lower ends of the dowelpins and each 4dowel pinispreferably flattenedat its sides as 'shown-ata'forengagement by a wrench or thelike'so that the' dowel pins'may be conveniently removed Aand replaced. By this method, it is possible to obtain a greater accura-cy of fitting of theA dowel pins in the holes 2U which are formed in the toe portion Illa. The cavity 'I9 should also be drilled with accuracy` and in proper location with respect to the holes 2D so that it will be properly fitted by the cap member I6 when the-dowel pins22 are tted into After the walls of the holes4 2B,

the holes 2li. have become substantially worn through continued use, the tight fit may be continued by removing the dowel pins andv replacing them by others of slightly larger size.

With the construction and arrangement of the parts as described above, the drying form mayv heating fluid, said supply pipe extending through said exhaust pipe and spaced therefrom.

2. A garment drying form comprising, a body portion, an end portion detachably mounted on said body portion and having a cavity therein, a pipe' extending through said body portion and into said cavity'andv having its end closed, and a second pipe extending through said first pipe and having an opening positioned within said cavity for discharging a heating medium conveyed therethrough.

3. A garment drying form comprising, a body portion, an end portion detachably mounted on said body portion and having a cavity therein, a capmember secured on said body portion and extending into said cavity, and a pipe extending through said body portion and communicating with said cap member.

4. A garment drying form comprising, a body portion, an end portion detachably mounted on said body portion and having a cavity therein,

to 35 pounds per square inch, the higher pressures being employed when woolen garments are being dried. For example, with a pressure of 35 pounds per square inch, the drying form constructed according to the present invention, and adapted to dry mens hose ranging in size from 10 to 121/2, was found to produce temperatures,

measured by a thermocouple at points a, b, c, cl,Y

e, f, g and h on Fig. 1, as follows:

At the tip a-254 Fahrenheit; At the point b-254 F.;

At the point c-255 F.;

At the point cil-265 F.;

At the point e-265 F.;

At the point f-260 F.;

At the point g-260 F.; and At the point h-260 F.

thus indicating only a slight variation in temperature between the base of the stern portion Id and the tip of the toe portion lila.

A single size of the body portion of the form may be employed for drying hose having a wide range of sizes; for example, those ranging by half sizes from size 10 to size 121/2. When the toe portion Il)EL is changed to accommodate a different size of hose to be dried, the cap member i6 should preferably be changed to agree in length with the size of the toe portion being used. In the drawings, the cap member i5 is shown as being employed with a toe portion ma which is of the minimum size for use on that form. As the toe portion is increased in length with change in size of the hose being dried, the cap member I6 should preferably be detached and another one of greater length put in its place so that the direct heating action of the steam supplied through the pipe lli will at all times be extended to a point as near as possible to the tip of the toe portion of the drying form.

Although one form of the invention has been shown and described by way of illustration, it

a capv member secured on said body portion and extending into said cavity, a pipe extending through said body portion and communicating with said cap member, and a second pipe extending through said first pipe and spaced therefrom, said second pipe extending into said cap member and having an opening for discharging a heating medium into said cap member.

5. A garment drying form comprising, a body portion, an end portion detachably mounted on said body portion and having a cavity therein, a cap member detachably secured on said body portion and extending into said cavity, and a pipe extending through said body portion and communicating with said cap member.

6. A garment drying form comprising, a body y portion, an end portion detachably mounted on fluid.

'7. A garment drying form comprising, a hollow body portion having an end surface, an end portion seated on said end surface and having a cylindrical cavity extending transversely to said end surface, a cap member secured to said body portion and fitting said cavity, and a pipe extending through said hollow body and communicating with said cap member.

8. A garment drying form comprising, a hollow body portion having an end surface, an end portion seated on said end surface and having a cylindrical cavity extending transversely to said end surface, a cap member secured to said body portion and tting said cavity, a pipe extending through said hollow body and communicatingv 7 Withirifsaidzcawity,.=a,ry pipeaextending-,.thmughfsafid hollow bodyzportionandrcomnnmioatingfwith said: can: member; and-arsupply ppefextendingsthrough sidfi-xst-:pipendfopeningmithmaidwapxmmy10. Afhosieryrdrying iormwicoinprislngga foot por-tion, fai detachable :toe` portion ahavingaa :cave ityf therein,` a hollow capfmemberlprojeoting from said foot portion into saidcavityymeansiorgintroduc'ing steam 4intoA said napimember, zandzmeans L0 for positioning said toe portion on sadstootnr# tion;-

' 11. TA Yhosiery :drying form 'comprisingga footY portion, a detachableftoeportiony liavingmccavty said-foot portion `into, said @oavitma; pipelexteml- `ing'fsthrougir:'.-sstd foot fportion and vcommunirme ingfwi-thssaidfeap member, faisupply pipe:extend-y ingthraugh said -rstfnamed pipe and ,openingintorafsaidcapgffmember `Within said toefzportionf,

said ioefportion r having holes ,therein-v on I, opposite sides `of said cavity, -and :dowel lpins .detachably secured 1to1- said f'foot portion. and fitting; into: saidv holes.

ARTHUR s. MANN.

REFERENcEszorrED The :following references: are of 1 record inf the therein, a, hollow oap-member projecting-from t5vh me Offghis patent;

sztdfocbi',` portion into said? cavity alpipe i extend-- ingthroughsai'd foot portion; andcomimminent-ing with said cap member, sind'a:supphnpipe:extend-v ingl= through said r rst-namedf .pipe fammi opening intolsaid-cap member Withi'nsaidVtoe'portion; 20.-,

12.7A hosiery 'drying'formxrcomprisingo foot portion, ldetachable toe:portionfhaving'amcavityl therein, a hollow cap member projecting-.from

UNITED'STATES PATENTS 

